Disk plow for steam cultivation.



' E. H. POWLER, T. BENSTEAD a A, PEPPER.

DISK PLOWPOB. STEAM CULTIVATION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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ERS. wAsmNGmN D c RLH. FOWI'IER, T. BENSTEAD du A. PEPPER.

. DISK PLOW FOR STEAM GULTIVATION.

APPLIGATXON Hmm JAN. 4, 1909.

954, 950, Patented Apr. 12,1910,

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ml @regni @7 a j f N ma ,g 19?@ ANDREW a GRAHAM co, Fuo'ro-LITMUGMFMMS, .vnsHmsoN D. C

R. H. FOWLER, T. BENSTEAD & A. PEPPER.

DISK PLOW FOR STEAM GULTIVATON.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 4, 1909.

Patented Apr.4 12, 19M).

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ANDREW a. GRAHAM co., rwomunlosllmzis. wnsnmmou, n c.

R. E. .FOWLER, T. BENSTEAD & A. PEPPER. DISK PLOW FOR STEAM CULTIVATION. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1909.

954,950. Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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@reci fbg/ger R M Co.. PHoYo-LHNOGRAPHERS. wAsHlNGoN. 0.a

R. H. FOWLER, T. BENSTBAD da A. PEPIBB.. DISK PLOW POR STEAM CULTIVATION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1909.

9554,95()l Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

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ANDREW B. BRAHAM co.. PMoTo-LrwOGRAPHER; wAsmNGYON, n. Q

UNTTB STATES TENT FFTQF..

EOEEET HENRY EOWLEE, THOMAS EENSTEAD, AND ALFRED PEPPER, OE LEEDS,

ENGLAND.

DISK PLOW FOR STEAIVI CULTIVATION.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 11910.

Application led January 4, 1909. Serial No. 470,667.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT HENRY Fow- LEE, engineer, Ti-ioims BENSTEAD, draftsman, and ALFRED FErrER, engineer, all subjects of the King of Great Britain, and all residing at Steam Plough and Locomotive `Works, Leeds, in the county of York, England, have jointly invented a certain new and useful Improved Disk Flow for Steam Cultivation, of which the following is a specification. n

In British patent specification No. 9299 of 1890 and U. S. Patent No. 463,502 is described a plow adapted for being drawn to and fro by traction ropes, or for being hauled by direct traction, for eecting plowing or like operations on the soil; the pull of the traction ropes or the direct pull of a tractor automaticallyT controls the position of the shares or cultivating tools. Improvements in this type of plow were described in British specifications Nos. 12035 of 1893, 14584 of 1897 and 14325 of 1901 and in corresponding U. S. Patent Nos. 534216, 608514 and 714570.

The present invention relates to further improvements whereby the mechanism is simplified and the turning over of the shares or tools is accomplished with less friction and greater certainty; the tilling is better under control and the width and depth of plowing are more uniform.

The improvements according to the invention are mainly dies-... The main frame is of triangular form in plan supported at three points, namely at the apex by a caster wheel and at each end of the base by a running whee the hauling ropes are attac-lied to separate draft levers and are guided around the arm pivoted to the base of the triangle; this arm is connected with the steering mechanism of the running wheels to turn them on vertical axes, by a bar pivoted to the arm; the movement of this bar is communicated to a bar or frame in the under-frame and by novel connections this bar or frame turns the shares or tools out of action and then into action in the reverse direction; at the same time the movement of the first named bar determines the change of position of the underframe relatively to the main frame to compensate for the fact that one wheel rims on land and the other in a furrow; or instead of this mode of determining the change of position, the underg ropes g,

frame may be freely' suspended from the main frame and the change of position determined by suitable adjustable skids.

. The 'accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of a share plow constructed according to the invention, in the position for plowing, except that for clearness the ruiming wheels are shown on the same plane; some of the shares have been removed in bothfigures, and parts of the steering gear in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section, and Fig. 4 a plan of the underframe of Fig. 1 removed from the main frame and without the shares. Fig. 5 is a detail View. Fig. G is a side elevation and Fig. 7 a plan of the plow modified for disk plowing, in the position for plowing, with the reservation referred to in respect of Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, the parts being in the position they have when the plow is turning. Figs. 9 and 10 are an elevation and a plan respectively of the underframe of the disk plow showing an alternative method of attaching the supporting chains, the parts being shown in what is hereinafter described as the square position ofthe plow.

The main frame a is of triangular shape in plan and carries at its apex a caster wheel af, which in the form shown is mounted in a socket depending from a turn-table a2 as described in British specification No. 14584 of 1897 in reference to Fig. 6 thereof and in the corresponding S. Patent No. 608514. At each end of the base of the triangle is a socket in which turns an L pin a3, the horizontal limb of which constitutes the axle of the ruiming wheel; to the vertical limb is fixed a lever at connected by a link u? with a nut al() working on a screw spindle as turned by the hand wheel a to give to the wheels the small angular movements about a vertical axis required for steering the implement from the drivers seat al. Steering mechanism of this kind is described in British speciication No. 12035 of 1893 and in the corresponding U. S. Patent No. v534216.

In brackets fixed to the center of the base of the triangle is carried a perch pin b on which turns a horizontal arm c, to the end whereof is fixed a quadrant c carrying a double sheave pulley for the usual hauling h which when the plow turns pass other sheave7 the slack rope being guided on to the pulleys by arm c2 pivoted at the center otl the quadrant. rlhe eye end of each rope is attached to a shackle on one arm of a bell crank lever Z carrying on its other arm a guide pulley Z2 and centered on the end ot an arm Z which is pivoted to a bar e beneath the main frame and is attached by a chain (Z3 with the jointed trame Z presently to be described.

Above the arm 0 is a bar or link f which at its middle is pivoted at 7 to the arm c and serves to connect with the arm c the spindles l es which are connected as aforesaid with the wheel axles. F or this purpose each spindle is mounted in brackets carried by a vertical pin a0 extending through an eye in the end of the link f, and the nut @lo has an arm connected by link a. with the trame a. Furthermore the pin a0 extends through an eye on an arm e keyed to a pin c2 turning in brackets xed to the main trame.

@wing to the combination so .tar described, when it is desired to turn the plow and tension is put upon the rope g which has hitl erto been the slack rope, the arm c is turned on the perch pin and in so turning turns through the link the running wheels on vertical axes until they are in planes substantially at right angles to the base of the frame a; when this is the case the middle longitudinal line oi,I the arm c is substantially at right angles to the said base and the plow may be said to be in the square position. The arm is now locked in this position by a modification ot' the device described ;tor a like purpose in British specitication No. 12035 of 1893 and in the corresponding' U. S. Patent No. tglt. This consists of a spindle z' adapted te be turned in a bracket 2", mounted on the arm c. from the drivers seat by a crank Z2. The end ot this spindle carries a semi-cylindrical socket Z3 adapted7 when in one position, 'to engage7 as the arm c sweeps around, a 1pin cl2 on a bracketum at the apex ot the main frame, and, when turned through 90C from this position, to become disengaged from the said pin.

The movement of arm c into the square position also turns the tool or share trames Zo, which carry in known manner two sets` of shares or other implements, through an angle of 900 about an axis to bring the shares out of action. For this purpose each of the pins e2 carries beneath the main trame an arm e3 pivoted to the end of the bar e. which latter is pivoted at its middle by a pin e4 to a bracket e@ depending from the arm c. Thus bar e shares the movement of link f and drags with ita jointed :trame Z (F ig. t) with which it is connected by chains F rame Z lies above the underin on Josite directions one around each! l i frame m and is connected therewith by pivl oted arms Z. To each ot these is bolted a ring Z2 in the inner face ot which a semicircular groove forming with a like groove in the periphery of a circular plate m. a ball bearing. Plate m has a depending quadrantal flange m2 which is bent at right angles and carries a number of upwardly directed peg-teeth m3,' the plate is fastened by a bolt m5 to the flange of the undertrame and to a bracket m* trame. An upwardly curved lever arm Zt is pivoted on the bolt mf and terms at its upturned end one bearing for the member L2 of the frame Za, the other bearings being lugs Z3 on the ring Z2. Keyed to the member 7a2 is a peg-tooth quadrant Zi:3 so Isituated that it engages with thev teeth on the 'tlange m2 (Fig. 5).

lt will be seen that when trame Z follows bar c as aforesaid, arms Z are turned and frames Zt' sweep through a correspondingl angle. as each moves, the quadrantl lf3 is turned by engagement with teeth m so that the frame turns through an angle of 90o around the axis of member ZF. ln the square position of the plow, therefore. the trames Zu are substantially at right angles to the frame of the plow and the shares are out' of action. its the pull on rope g continues. arm c being locked to the main trame as already descrilr ed, the plow begins to turn about the wheel which was the rear wheel as an axis in the known manner. pawl '12, engaging with a toothed wheel n fixed to the running wheel for the purpose ot preventing the latter from ruiming backward; such a pawl is described in British specification No. 14584 ot 1897 with reference to Fig. 3 thereof and in the corresl'ionding U. S. Patent No. 608514., but that here shown is improved in that it. has two teeth, whereby there is secured more latitude for travel and a greater certainty ot eugagement with the notches of the wheel.

llhen the plow has been turned the driver releases the socket 3 by turning crank '2 and the arm c finishes its movement. bein brought to rest by engaging with the adjustable stop e on the trame a. .Darin this movement the ruiming wheels are agai turned into the position in which they at an angle to the base of the main trame. and the frames Ze perform the rest of their movenient into the position the reverse of that shown in Fig. 2. t'or plowing in the direction opposite to that of the arrow. At the same time the trames Za are turned through another angle or" 900 so that the shares which in the last bout were out ot work are now brought into work. These movements are merely a continuation of those already described.

Revel-ting to the underframe, this is tree to slide in slotted brackets a depending from the main frame and is provided with a n adcarried by the underjustable suspension from the main frame in the shape of a screw 0 and nut 0. This suspension, together with an adjustable mushroom shaped skid p at each end of the underframe, which skid is free to turn in a horizontal plane, affords means for determining the depth of the cut of the shares and allows the shares to follow the undulations of the ground, and the underframe to assume that position relative to the main frame which is rendered necessary owing to the fact that the forward wheel is in the furrow while the rear wheel is on the land, there being sufficient play of the frame in brackets s to allow of this. Vhen, however, the land is very wet, soft or sticky, the skids may be dispensed with and the underframe suspended by chains attached to shackles g on the frame and passing over pulleys g carried by the main frame, to spindles g2 which screw through nuts pivoted to links Q3 connecting them with the main frame. By turning the spindles the height of the underframe is adjusted. The compensation in position due to the fact that the leading wheel runs in a furrow as aforesaid, is secured by chains connected with shackles g on the underframe and passing over pulleys r to adjustable eyes on the bar e. As will be seen from Fig. l owing to the position of bar e this chain at the leading end of the plow is taut, thus lifting the underframe slightly at the part near the leading wheel.

Referring now to Figs. 6 8, the general construction of the main frame of the plow is the same as that already described, but the underframe and the mode of turning the disks is considerably modified. The turning of the wheels is effected through the bar e as in Figs. 1 and 2. rEhe pin e* (Fig. 8) is here the upwardly turned end of a lever t which is pivoted on a downward extension of the perch pin and carries at its free end a horizontal bo t t on which a lever u can be turned by adjusting screw t2. At the end of lever u a lever i: is mounted to turn on a horizontal pin to an extent determined by screw u mounted to turn in lever u and in a nut yv pivoted in the forked end of lever fu. The other end of the last named lever is connected by a vertical pivot @2 with the middle of bar fw of the under frame. Each end of this bar is pivoted by a vertical pin to a block itself pivoted by a horizontal pin in the forked end of an arm m which is similarly connected at its other end with a pin depending from the main frame. Brackets fw depending from the bar w carry a bar Q02 to which are fixed at intervals bearings w3 for the pivot m2 of the socket in which the plow disk X turns on its axis. To the pivot m2 is keyed a crank m4 which engages in a slot in a link y pivoted at one end to a lug on the bearing 103 and at the other end to a bar y. This bar is connected by chains e with the arms On each side of bearing 'w3 is a stop wi with which a lug w3 on the socket w engages to limit the movement of the socket. When now the arm c turns into the square position, levers t and a move the bar fw away from the main frame, the bar being kept parallel with the base of the main frame by arms x. At the same time one of the chains e pulls the bar y so that each of the cranks m4 is turned through an angle of 90 into the position shown in Fig. 8, which is the square position of the plow. When the plow has turned in the manner already described and the arm c completes its movement, the movement of bar w is completed and the cranks mf move through a further 900, thus reversing the disks for plowing in the opposite direction to that of the preceding bout. The system of adjustable levers t, a and o enables the depth of plowing to be adjusted, and in the square position the more the axis of pin o2 is inclined toward the main frame by turning screw u the higher will be the forward end of bar w in the plowing position. This secures the automatic change of relative inclination of the underframe required to compensate for the fact that the leading wheel runs in a furrow.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 and l0 the chains .e pass around pulleys e" carried by the bar y and are attached to the bearings of links y.

Having thus described the nature of our said invention and the best means we know of carrying the same into practical effect, we claim 1. In a plo-w of the character referred to wherein the .pull of the traction means automatically controls the operative position of the tools, the combination of a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the frame and adapted to support the apex of the frame in any poe sition, a running wheel at each end of the base, the said running wheels being soV connected to the frame as to form alternately a pivot on which the plow turns when reversing, substantially as described.

2. A plow of the kind herein described, comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangle, a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, a horizontal arm pivoted to the said base, a guidev arm pivoted to the free end of the said horizontal arm, guide pulleys carried by the free end of the said horizontal arm', the said guide arm and pulleys being adapted to guide the hauling ropes, a bracket carried by sai horizontal arm, a bar pivoted to the bracket, and arms pivoted to the said bar and adapted to be connected with the free ends of the said ropes.

3. A plow of the kind herein described,

comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangle, a running wheel atv each end of the base of the triangle, a movable tool frame carried by the main frame, a horizontal arm pivoted to the said base and adapted to control the movement of the tool frame, a link pivoted at its center to the said arm, means for steering the plow, and a joint at each end of the said link connecting it with the said means for steering the plow.

4. A plow of the kind herein described, comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster Vheel at the apex of the triangle, a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, a horizontal arm pivoted to the said base, a bracket carried by said horizontal arm, a bar pivoted to the bracket, a link pivoted at its center to the said arm, means for steering the plow, a joint at each end of the said link connecting it with the said means for steering' the plow, an under-frame supported by the said main frame, a jointed frame between the said main .trame and underframe, and means for communicating movements of the said bar to the said jointed frame.

5. A plow of the kind herein described, comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangleI a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, a horizontal arm pivoted to the said base, a bracket carried by said horizontal arm, a bar pivoted to the bracket, a link pivoted at its center to the said arm, means for steering' the plow, a joint at each end of the said link connecting` it with the said means for steering the plow, an underframe supported by the said main frame, a jointed frame between the said main frame and underframe, means for communicating movements of the said bar to the said jointed frame, plow shares, a frame carrying the said shares, bearings carried by the said jointed frame in which the said share frame is adapted to turn on a horizontal axis, a peg-tooth quadrant lixed to the said underframe and a like quadrant fixed to the said share frame, the two quadrants being adapted to gear with each other to turn the said share frame when the said jointed frame is moved.

G. A plow of the kind herein described comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangle, an underframe, means for supporting this underframe freely from the main frame, and swiveled mushroom skids carried by the said underframe.

7. A reversible plow of the kind herein described comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangle, a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, an undertrame, means for supporting this underframe freely from the main frame, and means for automatically changing the position of the said underframe relatively to the main frame when the plow is reversed and that one of the said running wheels which was formerly the furrow wheel becomes the land wheel.

8. A plow of the kind herein described, comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex Of the triangle, a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, a horizontal arm pvoted to the said base, a link pivoted at its center to the said arm, means for steering the plow, a joint at each end of the said link connecting it with the said means for steering the plow, an underframe pivoted to the main frame and adapted to be turned when the said arm is turned, plow disks mounted in bearings themselves pivotally mounted on the said underframe and means for turning the said bearings on their pivots when the said underframe is turned.

9. A plow of the kind herein described comprising a main frame of triangular form in plan, a caster wheel at the apex of the triangle, a running wheel at each end of the base of the triangle, a horizontal arm pivoted to the said base, toothed wheels fixed to the staid running wheels respective-ly, lever arms pivoted to the said main frame, and pawls adapted to slide adjustably on the said lever arms and to engage the said toothed wheels.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT HENRT FOVVLER. THOMAS BENSTEAD. ALFRED PEPPER.

Vitnesses JOHN BARRATT, HENRY JAMES DAVID JONES. 

